Lerner cash allows O'Neill to think big after Young switch

By NEIL MOXLEY

Last updated at 23:11 21 January 2007

Aston Villa 2 Watford 0

Martin O'Neill feared Aston Villa would be left among the Premiership dead-beats had he not opened Randy Lerner’s chequebook.

With the ink due to dry on the contract of £9.6million signing Ashley Young in the next 24 hours, the Villa boss was quick to defend his actions after breaking the club’s transfer record on a largely untried 21-year-old.

Having played just 20 Premiership games and with three goals to his credit, the total package comes to around £16m for Young — a phenomenal statement of intent that the new owner and manager finally mean business.

A scrappy own goal by Gavin Mahon four minutes from time and a Gabriel Agbonlahor effort right at the end sent a wave of relief sweeping around Villa Park and finally brought a smile from O’Neill.

He was more on the front foot afterwards, maintaining that if the club wanted to play among the big boys, they had to act like one of them.

"The strong are getting really strong and it’s lessening the chances for other teams," he said.

"In my day it was a more level playing field. Nottingham Forest could sign Trevor Francis and Peter Shilton.

"Here you’ve got your top four teams with Tottenham trying to break into that and Everton have spent some money, too.

"There’s nothing wrong with going for it. If we get a bit of backing, Villa fans want us to be doing that. If there’s something worthwhile out there, I’ll go for it. I want to build a decent side.

"One that is going to compete. I believe in the not too distant future we will have the ability to do that. I think that Ashley will prove terrific value."

If the praise of Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd for Young is anything to go by, then perhaps O’Neill is right.

Boothroyd said: "I think Ashley can kick on again. They are going to get a player who is right and left-footed. He can deliver for set pieces and score from dead-ball situations.

"He’s quick, he’s very athletic with a wonderful work ethic and he is extremely disciplined. He will do whatever you tell him."

Villa’s performance was lacking until Patrik Berger entered the game with 18 minutes left. After refusing to play in a reserves’ match two months ago — a decision that cost him around £50,000 — the Czech was sent to Stoke on loan.

Now back, he suddenly produced passes from nowhere that Milan Baros should be thriving upon.

But the striker’s work ethic was next to non-existent. When he missed three wonderful opportunities in the space of five minutes, it is little wonder that a fed-up crowd chose to boo him off.

Watford may have their limitations, but Boothroyd could not really have asked a great deal more from the players who he put out.

He said: "For the long term of the club, selling Ashley is exactly the right thing to do. But I’m ambitious. I want to build a big club at Watford, so I’ve found this whole situation difficult.

"I want to build for tomorrow, but also live for today. That’s why I’m trying desperately to do some business myself."